A Definition of Brand Insight and the Connection to Big Data

Insight: A brand interaction with consumer(s) that yields new information, new strategy, or a change in messaging and positioning for the Brand, whilst simultaneously changing the mindset of the consumer(s).

Explanation: This can be done in person (interactive dialog) or with data from consumers, and projected back to consumers directly for which responses are measurable, within well-defined parameters of statistical significance.

Google’s Consumer Surveys, or with unusually differentiated responses to well design ad campaigns that test combinatorial combinations of targeting, messaging, and positioning.

Equation: Insight = Resonance + Edge. Example: A consumer response indicating an Insight example: “Wow, you really understand me — almost better than I understand myself”. These two parts fit the equation: Resonance: acknowledgement of accuracy in understanding. Edge: A measure of new meaning, potency or impact, relative to past Brand or product responses, which indicate a change in degree of response, or disruption with positive impact.

Connection to Big Data: When dealing with massive amounts of interaction data, weather from mobile app usage, ad campaigns across audiences and channels, or mining logs of web applications, the data can get huge. In order for a researcher within the firm to follow a train of thought which often requires a series of fast queries and drill downs separated by seconds not minutes or hours, the need for a technology stack optimized to process this stream of data whether it is static or high velocity is apparent. Hence the need for “Big Data” technology solutions. They way humans work, and the speed of thought, and minimum latency required to formulate hypotheses and conclusions becomes part of the path to Insights.